Device and method for forming macromolecule crystal

Abstract

Disclosed is a macromolecule-crystal forming apparatus and method capable of obtaining a macromolecule crystal in a simplified and efficient manner. The device comprises a first container containing a sample of macromolecule, a second container containing a gel acting as a buffer material during the crystallization of the macromolecule, and a third container containing a precipitant solution having a function of facilitating the aggregation of molecules during the crystallization of the macromolecule. These containers are connected together in a given manner so as to allow the macromolecule sample and the precipitant to be brought into contact with one another through the gel to induce the crystallization of the macromolecule.

Description

[0001]This is a continuation of PCT / JP04 / 007682 filed May 27, 2004 and published in Japanese.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to a device for crystallization of macromolecules, and more particularly, to the crystallization of macromolecules by a liquid-liquid diffusion process.BACKGROUND ART[0003]In this day and age called the post-genomic era, instead of traditional researches based on heuristic approach, a new approach is required which is capable of developing biological macromolecules with various structures on the basis of comprehensive genome data, analyzing their molecular structures and functions, artificially designing a molecular structure based on the analytical result to prepare more highly functional pharmaceutical molecules and proteins, and applying them to drug discoveries, biological sciences, medical sciences or industries. The acquisition of a higher-quality macromolecule crystal is essential for performing the molecular structure analysis with a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a device and method for forming macromolecule crystals in a simplified and efficient manner. The device includes a first container containing a sample of macromolecule and a second container containing a gel for buffering the crystallization of the macromolecule. A third container containing a precipitant solution is also included. The first and second containers are connected together to allow the macromolecule sample and the precipitant solution to be in contact with each other, and the precipitant solution is diffused into the macromolecule sample through the gel in the second container. The device can be designed to induce the macromolecule sample into the first container, and each container can be hermetically sealed to prevent vaporization of the sample. The invention provides a more efficient and effective method for forming macromolecule crystals.

Problems solved by technology

However, it has been pointed out that the above conventional crystal formation technique involves a problem about the risk of outflow of the macromolecule sample in the tubule, technical difficulties in inserting the tubule into the gel layer uniformly by a given length, and variation in sample setting operation in a case where it is required to prepare numbers and various types of samples, resulting in poor quality of an obtained crystal or poor process yield.

Further, the conventional technique cannot sufficiently meet the need for preparing a great number of macromolecule sample crystals in current researches.

Moreover, the device for the conventional technique involves a structural problem about ineffective consumption of precipitant and gel in large quantity.

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